High intrigue behind ODM’s change of tune

• CONSTITUTION: Reports that senior leaders of the party who have long voiced loud opposition to what they called ‘imperial presidency’ suddenly showed up at the Naivasha retreat to support it raise more questions than answers about their game plan

For the ODM deputy leader then, it did not matter how many times Kenyans vote for such a presidency: “It will never work for them.”

He advised that with a parliamentary system of government, Kenyans would have an accountable, transparent, consultative and participatory government.

According to him, the system has worked in India, Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan and The Netherlands.

It is hard to tell whether interest in the presidency motivated the politicians’ change of tune. Of those MPs in Naivasha, Mr Ruto, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Narc-Kenya chairperson Martha Karua, Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang’ula have expressed interest in the presidency. 

However, sources privy to the talks attributed the success to the “steadfastness and level-headedness” of PSC chair Abdikadir Mohammed.

The MPs are said to have distanced themselves from parties to voice independent opinions. However, Ms Karua and assistant minister Peter Munya reportedly took “hardline” positions which at times slowed the pace of the negotiations.

Gachoka MP Mutava Musyimi who is associated with the Ufungamano initiative on constitution review says he was “impressed” by the commitment and the sense of consensus that guided the talks.

“I am glad that the issue of the executive has been sorted out. It seems serious thinking went into it,” he said. “It is a major breakthrough but we need to see a how the meat sits on the bones.”